8-10 Front Page of the Memphis Newspaper

[Golden Saber]

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/...990677,00.html

Victim strikes back

Forced at gunpoint to bank, man kills back-seat suspect

By Sherri Drake
Contact
August 10, 2005

He said they'd gotten him two weeks ago in his front yard, forcing him to the ground with a gun and stealing $400.

But this time, 59-year-old Jacob Evans was ready.

Tuesday, the same two robbers returned, telling him to withdraw $10,000 from his bank, or die, he said. Instead, Evans deposited six bullets in one of them.

"I got prepared for them," Evans said, standing outside the Criminal Justice Center Tuesday night. "Today they acted a damn fool and came back."

Shortly after 2 p.m., Memphis police arrived at First Tennessee, at 1200 S. Third, and found one of the robbers shot to death, lying face down in the back seat of Evans's Lincoln Towncar.

About 20 minutes earlier, Evans was pulling up to his home in the 300 block of Edsel in South Memphis, when the two 20-something men came out from behind some hedges with guns, forced a friend of his out of the car and jumped in. Evans was in the driver's seat, one robber was in the front seat and another in the back.

Evans had just gotten off work at Hershey Foods, where he's a sanitation worker. He was wearing his uniform and a blue hairnet.

With guns pointed at Evans, the robbers told him to drive to a nearby bank to get some money. He told him he didn't bank there, but said he had an account at First Tennessee.

"If I didn't withdraw $10,000, they said they were going to kill me," he said.

As he was driving, Evans said he looked for police but didn't see any and tried to work out a plan. The bank's about two miles from his house.

He pulled up to the teller window and told the men he would need a withdrawal slip to get the money. The front-seat robber handed his 9mm pistol to the back-seat robber -- who already had a .22-caliber rifle -- and went inside to get the slip.

Evans noticed a security guard leaning against the bank's wall and mouthed to him: "Call police, I'm being robbed."

The robber, sitting directly behind the driver's seat, asked him what he said and Evans told him, "I didn't say a damn thing."

The man kept turning around nervously to look at the security guard, Evans said. That's when Evans reached under his seat and pulled out a .357 Magnum.

"When he turned around, I unloaded six rounds in him," Evans said. "He didn't have a chance."

Evans bought the gun in the parking lot of a gas station the day after he was robbed two weeks ago. He'd cleaned it up, putting baby oil in the revolver, so it'd be ready if he needed it.

Evans said he got out of the car and started to reload when the other suspect came out of the bank. "He took off running."

He tried to shoot that suspect too, but his gun wouldn't fire.

Someone inside the bank called 911. When employees heard the gunshots, the bank was immediately locked down and remained closed Tuesday, said spokesman Walter Dawson.

Late Tuesday, investigators were looking for the man who ran away and were working to identify the man who died, said Lt. Toney Armstrong.

After being questioned by police, Evans said they told him he was free to go.

Police said late Tuesday their investigation will be turned over to the Shelby County District Attorney General's Office, as a matter of routine.

Evans said he has only one regret. "I didn't kill the one that got away."

Tuesday night, his family drove up from Mississippi to be with Evans, who said he was happy to be alive.

"It's really not something to be proud of," he said. "But I'm happy it was them and not me."

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About our coverage

After much discussion, editors of The Commercial Appeal decided to publish today's photograph to focus public attention on the alarming rise in homicides and violent crime in Memphis. Editors felt that the circumstances of Tuesday's incident outside a South Memphis bank, in which an apparent robbery victim fatally shot one of his alleged abductors, warranted Page 1 treatment.

Copyright 2005, commercialappeal.com - Memphis, TN. All Rights Reserved.

[Alex45ACP]

Tuesday, the same two robbers returned, telling him to withdraw $10,000 from his bank, or die, he said. Instead, Evans deposited six bullets in one of them.

Evans said he has only one regret. "I didn't kill the one that got away."

Hahahahaha.

Nice work, and another punk taken off the streets

[armoredman]

Bought in a parking lot - legal in that state, I hope? Someone send him a cleaning kit - lubed with baby oil? I wonder why it didn't fire after he reloaded..

[GunnySkox]

That guy is just plain hardcore. We read articles all the time about victims fighting back, but this guy's a character, and it's obvious whoever wrote this had a good time playing off of his personality with the article.

Awesome article.

~Slam_Fire

[lucky_fool]

This ties right in with the thread about the Paula Zahn show. It just goes to show that submitting to thieves just gives them incentive to come back for more. Kudos to this guy for being ready for them.

[ewb45acp]

Now, someone in Memphis find this gentleman and buy him a proper cleaning kit...

?!?babyoil?!?

[foghornl]

Hey, this guy needs a Hoppe's/Outers' cleaning kit, and some speedloaders...

Todays' Box Score:

Good Guys 1
Scumbums 0

Too bad it is not 2-0

I grew up in/around Memphis, and yeah it was a good city, but even then had some problem areas, just like any other big city. Does look to be getting tougher there, though. Downtown, in spite of the Beale Street revitalization and the baseball field, has some very rough spots.

[Warren]

Standing O!!!!


Great Job!

[Seminole]

3 cheers for Mr. Evans!

Yep, Memphis is a rough town, but it has a lot of character (and characters, too, as Slam-Fire notes!). As in any other big city, situational awareness is of utmost importance. Those of us who can afford to live in better areas avoid going into neighborhoods where others, such as Mr. Evans, have little choice but to live in. Nonetheless, crime is not limited to South Memphis, which is why, in addition to being vigilant, I carry constantly.

Situations like this one illustrate the dangers of waiting periods for the purchase of firearms, as well as the outlawing of private sales. The situation might have turned out quite differently had Mr. Evans had not been able to purchase an affordable firearm when he felt a need for it--a hardworking, productive member of society might now be dead instead of the despicable, free-loading, scum-dwelling vermin who attempted to rob him.

Mr. Evans probably did commit one crime, however. In Tennessee it is illegal to carry a handgun in the car without a handgun carry permit. Given the circumstances cited in the paper, I doubt he had a permit. I hope he is not charged on that account. And somebody ought to cite this case as a reason for getting the law changed so that no permit is necessary in order to carry in your vehicle.

[WT]

We now have to start a 'baby oil vs. Hoppe's' thread.

Good shooting. I hope somebody gives him a gift certificate to 'detail' the back seat of the Lincoln.

[taliv]

janitors at hersheys wear blue helmets? odd

but yeah, bully for him

[Kharn]

Evans bought the gun in the parking lot of a gas station the day after he was robbed two weeks ago. He'd cleaned it up, putting baby oil in the revolver, so it'd be ready if he needed it.

I've heard of babying your gun, but jeez...

Kharn

[Third_Rail]

After much discussion, editors of The Commercial Appeal decided to publish today's photograph to focus public attention on the alarming rise in homicides and violent crime in Memphis. Editors felt that the circumstances of Tuesday's incident outside a South Memphis bank, in which an apparent robbery victim fatally shot one of his alleged abductors, warranted Page 1 treatment.

Wow. Now that is a good paper.

[kngflp]

My grandma showed it to me this morning when I stopped in to check on her, she said good for him. I guess Mr. Evens is going to have to bo back to that gas station to get another pistol. MPD will have it for a while and the second suspect may come back to avenge his dead buddy. I sure hope the pistol comes back clean. I should start checking out gas stations in South Memphis for deals on guns.

A while back some people had to move after they shot a home invader in Memphis. All of the deceased's homies kept shooting at their house and stuff.

[Warren]

janitors at hersheys wear blue helmets? odd

And blue hairnets.....

[Standing Wolf]

Evans said he has only one regret. "I didn't kill the one that got away."

I'm sure I'd have felt the same way, but hope, at least, I'd not have said so in plain English.

[MilsurpShooter]

The sad thing, with today's society, will be if the family of the one who got shot now tries to sue and charge for pre-meditated murder. Now I know it won't work but I've seen lawyers try to pull some really stupid stuff.

Kudos to Mr. Evans for not allowing himself to be a victim again though

[straightShot]

I like the way that the paper came up with a headline that said that the "Victim" fought back. They got it right. All too often, newspapers in general feel sorry for scumbags since they're no longer breathing, and they try to make the bad guy into some sort of victim.

I'm glad that things worked out for this guy. I would advise against saying too much to the police and the reporters, however. I'd like to send him a cleaning kit, however...

[ZeroX]

Tuesday, the same two robbers returned, telling him to withdraw $10,000 from his bank, or die, he said. Instead, Evans deposited six bullets in one of them.

*cracks a big smile at that one*

[middy]

6 rounds of .357 magnum inside of a car?

I'll bet his ears are still ringing.

Baby oil, heh. Well, you make do...

Good shootin'. Too bad the other one got away.

[Janitor]

"janitors at hersheys wear blue helmets? odd"

Yea ... well I'm here to tell you that janitorial work can get real messy at times.

[Seminole]

Another bit of good news--according to today's paper, the D.A. announced that, since he used the gun in self-defense, Mr. Evans won't be charged with carrying without a permit. Good call, though apparently under state law the D.A. didn't even have a choice in the matter.

Apparently, the police loved what Mr. Evans did. According to the paper, ". . . police were downright understanding, almost solicitous, Evans said. 'I have never been treated like a king before,' he joked. 'Usually, I have to make my own coffee.'"

And in an explanation of both the baby oil issue and the jam after he reloaded to go after the second guy, "The gun only cost $75 because the cylinder was stuck. Evans said he used baby oil to loosen it, but it jammed after he reloaded it. Defective or not, Evans said the gun did what it needed to. 'Well, it took care of me yesterday,' he said."

Sounds like he needs to get that thing to a gunsmith. The other bad guy may come back.

loved that phrase too

[Andrew Rothman]

Okay, Memphis THRers, who's gonna go get that guy to a gunsmith and a carry class?

Seriously, he's one of us -- he just doesn't know it yet. It's time to lend a hand.

[teCh0010]

No permit, no crime, no charge
Killing at bank lot was an act of self-defense

By Chris Conley
Contact
August 11, 2005

A sanitation worker who unloaded six .357 Magnum slugs into an armed kidnapper won't be charged with a crime, officials said Wednesday.

And Jacob Evans didn't have a permit to carry the pistol, but won't be charged for that, either, officials said.


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Dist. Atty. Gen. Bill Gibbons said the shooting was justifiable.

Under state law, he said, a person can't be charged with not having a gun permit if the gun is used in a justifiable self-defense.

And Evans -- an outspoken 59-year-old -- said he definitely feared for his life.

"You have got to be nervous in that situation," Evans said. "Anyone who tells you different is a liar."

Evans was jumped by two men as he drove up to his home in the 300 block of Edsel Tuesday after work.

The two forced him into his Lincoln Town Car and made him drive to a bank where they wanted him to withdraw $10,000.

One man went into the First Tennessee at 1200 S. Third to fetch a withdrawal slip and gave his pistol to his accomplice, who already had a .22-caliber rifle.

Evans -- who'd been robbed of $465 by the pair three weeks ago -- reached under his car seat, turned and emptied his newly bought pistol on his armed captor.

He tried to shoot the second man when he returned, but his gun jammed.

Evans said after he was robbed, he bought the handgun from a friend at a parking lot for $75 the next day.

A new .357 Magnum can run anywhere from $250 to $500. The sale to Evans wasn't illegal, officials said, though the weapon should eventually have been registered.

The gun cost only $75 because the cylinder was stuck. Evans said he used baby oil to loosen it, but it jammed after he reloaded it.

Defective or not, Evans said the gun did what it needed to.

"Well, it took care of me yesterday," he said.

Police hadn't identified the dead kidnapper Wednesday, and still didn't know the second man's identity.

Detectives will be looking at bank surveillance footage, and will see if Evans can pick out the second man, so they'll at least have his picture to work from.

Twenty-four hours after his kidnapping, the shooting, and having been interviewed by police, Evans maintained that his only regret was not shooting the second man.

"The only after-effect," Evans said, "was I didn't get the other one."

And police were downright understanding, almost solicitious, Evans said.

"I have never been treated like a king before," he joked. "Usually, I have to make my own coffee."